Many assumed when Wang returned from the disabled list he would replace Hughes. As usual, the assumption was incorrect.

Pitching yesterday in what is quickly evolving into his favorite ballpark, Hughes dominated the muscular Rangers, who started the day with the best record in the American League. With the aid of a lineup that spanked Texas’ left-handed starter, Matt Harrison, Hughes cruised to an 11-1 victory in front of a bummed 48,914 at the Ballpark in Arlington.

“I guess I like pitching here a little bit,” said Hughes, who al lowed no runs and three hits in eight frames and improved to 3-2 with a second consecutive victory.

Alex Rodriguez made his initial re turn to Texas since saying the loose culture of the Rangers’ clubhouse had contributed to his steroid use, and the result was a 5-for-5 performance with four RBIs. Rodriguez went from hitting .189 to .259 (15-for-58).

In Mark Teixeira’s first game back at the Ballpark, where he played from 2003-07, the switch-hitting first baseman went 2-for-4, drove in two runs and scored three.

But Hughes was the biggest reason the Yankees won for the 11th time in 13 games and improved to 26-19.

Hughes used a recipe that has been a staple of Yankees hurlers lately: He pitched well with runners in scoring position.

In the previous 14 games, Yankees pitchers held hitters to a .151 (16-for-106) average in the clutch. Hughes stayed with the script, keeping the Rangers hitless in eight at-bats.

Leading, 2-0, Hughes opened the second inning by giving up a double to Nelson Cruz and hitting Hank Blalock with a pitch.

After falling behind Marlon Byrd, 3-0, Hughes was visited by pitching coach Dave Eiland, who had noticed Hughes was dropping his arm.

“I told him to forget about the runners and trust your stuff,” Eiland said.

Two fastballs and the count was full. Hughes, who featured a nasty curveball all day, went with a fastball that he called “borderline” and got the strike call from umpire Tom Hallion to get Byrd looking.

Hughes followed that by fanning Chris Davis and Taylor Teagarden.

“That was big,” Hughes said. “They could have put some things together and scored some runs.”

By the time Josh Hamilton led off the fourth with a double, Hughes was working with a 6-0 bulge. Yet, that didn’t force him to lose focus. He got Cruz to fly out, dropped a curveball on Blalock for a called third strike and induced Byrd to ground back to the mound.

“He didn’t want to shake my hand, he wanted to go back out there,” Girardi said. “I understand, he wanted a complete game.”

As for worrying that Wang, who is lurking in the bullpen, could take Hughes’ spot in the rotation, Hughes said it’s not an issue.

“I knew I was going to pitch today and that’s all I thought about,” said Hughes, who sported the championship belt over his left shoulder. “I am not worried about it. I know I am going to pitch in five days somewhere.”

Yesterday’s performance guaranteed it will be for the Yankees at Cleveland.